V/A – Frankenstein’s Party – 14 Boppin’ Brainbenders From The Boneyard
Bear Family [2025]
House Of Horrors – Merv Griffin / I’m The Wolfman – Round Robin / Midnight Monster Hop – Jack and Jim / Mad Witch – Dave Gardner / Zombi – The Monotones / Little Demon – Screamin’ Jay Hawkins / Jack The Ripper – Casey Jones and The Governors / Frankenstein’s Party – The Swingin’ Phillies / The Cat – Rod Willis / (I Was A) Teenage Creature – Lord Luther and The Kingsmen / Ghost Train – Virgil Holmes / Yes, Baby I’m Scared – Dick Barton’s Rebels / Rockin’ Ghosts – Little Gerhard / The Mortal Monster Man – The Savoys
While I find it incredibly hard to listen to Christmas records once December 25th has passed, I can listen to the kind of spooky oddities found on this album all year round—not just during the Halloween season. Go figure. And when it comes to oddities, this 14-track LP is absolutely packed. The tracks range from organ-heavy numbers with a near-Twist vibe to Garage-style tunes, along with Rockabilly and even a touch of Doo-Wop. It is highly varied yet remains remarkably cohesive.
Standout tracks include the wild Yes, Baby I’m Scared by Dick Barton’s Rebels—an unlikely cross between Little Richard and King Uszniewicz (strictly for the hardcore listener)—Rod Willis’s The Cat (which found a new lease on life in the early 80s thanks to the Psychobilly scene), and Virgil Holmes’s anachronistic (1961) Rockabilly track Ghost Train.
The selection never takes the easy route and avoids the pitfall of relying on overly obvious tracks. For instance, while Screamin’ Jay Hawkins does appear, it’s not with I Put A Spell On You but with Little Demon—which is just as good. As for Jack the Ripper, it’s not the ultra-famous version by Screamin’ Lord Sutch, but the one by Casey Jones and the Governor, which has a touch of that Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs sound.
I could break down every single track—each one more interesting and spine-tingling than the last—but when you’re about to board a ghost train ride, you don’t want to know exactly where or when you’re going to jump. I’ll simply whet your appetite.
Available here.
Fred “Virgil” Turgis
